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7 Weird Things That Happen When You Sleep In A Bra

by Lauren Schumacker

True confessions time: I went through a phase awhile back where I regularly slept in a bra. I thought the support it lent was more comfortable than the actual comfort of going without, so every night I dutifully put on a bra and then my pajamas before crawling into bed. While I'm not completely sure why I stopped (that's right — I now sleep bra-less), it's entirely possible that it was because of one of the weird things that happen when you sleep in a bra.

Women have varied (and often vehement) opinions on whether wearing a bra while you sleep is good or bad. Some say that it can cause breast cancer (not true), make your breasts sag (also incorrect), and even make them perkier (again, not accurate). All of these claims about wearing bras to bed were debunked by Shape. Essentially, some women wear them because, like my, they believe that the support that well-fitting bras provide is comfortable and some avoid wearing them to sleep because they find bras uncomfortable (or believe in one of the many myths related to the subject). Although sleeping in a bra may not be categorically go or bad across the board, here a few strange things that might happen if you do.

1

You Won't Have As Much Back Pain

For women with large breasts, sleeping without a bra may be a bit painful, as Linda Becker aka "The Bra Lady" told The Huffington Post. Therefore, if they sleep in a well-fitting, supportive bra, there's less pain associated with sleeping.

2

You Might Not Sleep As Well

If you're sleeping in a bra that isn't comfortable, doesn't fit well, or is too tight, it may cause sleep disruptions, according to the Kid's Health website. Something that fits well, or even a comfortable sports bra or bralette, may be a better choice if you don't want to go completely bra-less.

3

You Might Get Poked

According to the aforementioned article on Kid's Health, if you're wearing an underwire bra to bed or a bra that's worn out, you may get poked or stuck with something sharp, like part of that underwire. Ouch.

4

Your Circulation Might Be Affected

As Dr. Seth Rankin, founder of general practitioners chain London Doctors Clinic, told Cosmopolitan UK, if your overnight bra is way too tight, it could affect circulation to your breasts and surrounding tissue.

5

Your Breasts May Get Swollen

As Dr. Jamil Abdur-Rahman, chairman of obstetrics and gynecology at Vista East Medical Center in Illinois, told Self, if you're wearing a too-tight bra, it could potentially interfere with the movement of your lymphatic fluids, which may, in extreme cases, cause swelling or skin discoloration.

6

Your Skin Might Suffer

Not only could a too-tight bra cause swelling, regularly wearing a bra that's too tight can cause long-lasting indentations in your skin since there was no time for your skin to rest and bounce back, according to Rankin.

7

You'll Be More Comfortable

Ultimately, it really all comes down to your comfort level. If you want to wear a bra, wear one. As noted in the aforementioned article in The Huffington Post , that's what she tells her patients. Comfort is key.